If the Ace is on but silent, work through the connection first. Check the status light: solid blue means connected to a Bluetooth device and flashing blue means pairing mode. Confirm the headphones are selected as the audio output on the phone, and that the phone volume and the Content Key volume are up; slide up or down on the Content Key to adjust volume, press once to play or pause. Wear detection can pause audio when you take the headphones off, so check it in the app.
If audio plays on the phone but not the headphones, a Bluetooth glitch is likely: turn Bluetooth off and on, forget and re-pair, and keep within 30 feet. For TV audio, swap from your home theater speaker to the Ace by long pressing the Content Key, which needs TV Audio Swap set up and WiFi on the soundbar; TV audio must already be playing. A low battery can also mute or stop it, so charge with the included PD cable. Force reboot with a 10-second hold and USB-C disconnected, and reset with a powered USB-C connection only if it stays silent.
Differential
Likely causes of “Sonos Ace headphones connects but has no sound”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
The headphones are not the output
What separates it The phone plays through its own speaker because the headphones are not the output
How to confirm Select the Ace in the phone's audio output
- 2
Volume is low
What separates it The sound is faint because the volume is low
How to confirm Raise the phone volume and the headphone volume, and check the sound again
- 3
Wear detection paused it
What separates it The audio stops when a cup is lifted because wear detection paused it
How to confirm Adjust wear detection in the app, so that lifting a cup does not stop the audio
- 4
A stale link
What separates it There is no audio after pairing because the link has gone stale
How to confirm Forget the headphones on your device, and pair them again from the start
- 5
TV Audio Swap is not set up
What separates it The TV audio does not reach the headphones because TV Audio Swap is not set up
How to confirm Set it up and start TV audio first
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The headphone model and the status light
- The source: phone, TV Audio Swap or music app
- Whether audio plays through another Bluetooth device
- The battery level that the headphones report
Try in this order
0 of 5 completedCheck the light
ReversibleCheck the light, since solid blue means that the headphones are connected, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Check the output
ReversibleCheck the output, and choose the Ace as the audio output on the phone, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Raise the volume
ReversibleRaise the volume, by sliding up on the Content Key, and raising the phone volume.
Check wear detection
ReversibleCheck wear detection, and adjust it in the app if the audio stops when you lift a cup.
Try TV Audio Swap
ReversibleTry TV Audio Swap, by starting the TV audio, and then long pressing the Content Key.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Controls
- The Content Key slides for volume and presses for play or pause; a long press swaps TV audio when TV Audio Swap is set up.
- TV Audio Swap speakers
- Sonos lists the Arc, Arc SL, Arc Ultra, Beam (Gen 1), Beam (Gen 2), Beam Ultra and Ray.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If a connected, charged Ace is silent with several sources after a reboot and re-pair, contact Sonos Support
- !If only TV audio is silent, check the soundbar and TV Audio Swap
- !If one app is silent, contact the app
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
The Content Key for volume, play and pause and TV Audio Swap.
Solid blue means connected.
Requirements and swapping TV audio.
Distance and interference.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
Why is my Sonos Ace silent?+
Usually the wrong output, low volume or a stale Bluetooth link.
How do I change volume?+
Slide up or down on the Content Key.
How do I play and pause?+
Press the Content Key once, to play or pause the sound.
How do I hear my TV?+
Set up TV Audio Swap, start TV audio and long press the Content Key.
Which soundbars support TV Audio Swap?+
Sonos lists the Arc, Arc SL, Arc Ultra, Beam Gen 1 and 2, Beam Ultra and Ray.
How many headphones can join?+
A maximum of two in one TV Audio Swap session.
Does the soundbar need WiFi?+
Yes, WiFi must be enabled on the home theater speaker.
Does wear detection stop sound?+
It changes behavior when you take them off.
Should I force reboot?+
Yes, force a reboot with USB-C disconnected, if the sound still does not return.